Low tide down time until Sunday

The high tides have now moved into the late evening leaving us with low water in the afternoon. So no sailing I'm afraid. We haven't missed out on any wind as the coming of the low afternoon tides also seems to affect the afternoon breeze. This has happened a couple of times now so we will watch it in the future to see if it is just coincidence or a reliable relationship. Having said that, the wind has returned this afternoon.

Boating projects are affected by two tides, one involving the water and the other involving the job list! It is the latter that we are still doing battle with. I have been focusing on areas beneath the water over the last two days. The silicon seal around the main foil has been replaced, the rudder sensor has been relocated from the large low-speed rudder to the skeg flap (seeing that we will now be steering with that at high speed) and I have extended the anti-ventilation fence on the skeg all the way to the back so that it envelopes the skeg flap. This is the area most likely to ventilate so it is worth the effort. Making an airtight articulated fence took alot of thought. I had a chair positioned at the back of the boat and I just sat there and stared at it for hours until the build process was clear in my mind. I think that the final result will be quite elegant and hopefully quite effective.

On that last run, Run 46, I was using the full range of the skeg to hold VESTAS SAILROCKET up on course. Based on 'Malcs Calcs' this should have resulted in quite a lot of turning force. We can only guess that the skeg flap had ventilated. As mentioned previously we can also do a number of things to balance the boat out at high speed so the steering loads are lighter and we have in fact already done that. The extended fence is just extra security.

The support RIB is outside getting a complete steering system overhaul and general service. Things were getting tight and although we pull it out of the water for a washdown on a regular basis... we do sometimes forget we are a multiple boat family that definitely has its favourite sibling! Support boats need love too.

Helena is constantly improving the electronics package and keeping my head screwed on right:)

So all is well as we prepare for our next session of afternoon high tides and belting winds. I can feel the pressure mounting to go out and pull off a big run.

Cheers from the container at Walvis Bay Yacht Club,

Paul